The law requires that infectious waste, in particular medical waste, be shredded such that it is not recognizable or reusable, and above all such that it can be highly sterilized. To that end, it is known to use a shredding and sterilizing machine for such waste, comprising an upper hopper for receiving waste, a median shredding compartment, and a lower tub for receiving, sterilizing and discharging shredded waste.
The median shredding compartment includes a shredder formed from a parallel series of contrarotating knives, the knives in one series alternating with counter-knives. The knives in one series cooperate with the counter-knives in another, adjacent series, and vice versa.
The existing machines of this type are globally satisfactory, but may nevertheless still be perfected.
Indeed, a drawback of such a machine is the fact that shredding efficiency of this machine is not perfect. The result is frequently that fragments of waste remain too large in consideration of what is required. A calibration grid or similar means must therefore be provided between the shredding chamber and the lower chamber, which has a tendency to clog when waste is wet, making the shredder inoperative.